There are numerous TV shows based on books.

And in most cases, the book is usually better.

For whatever reason, nearly all adaptations just don’t do the source material justice.

However, there are a few TV shows that are excellent. Not necessarily better than the book upon which it was based, but on par…

Which TV show was based on a book?

As aforementioned, there are countless TV shows that were based on or inspired by books.

But these are the best in our humble opinion:

tv shows based on books - the handmaid's tale

The Handmaid’s Tale

Based on the Margaret Atwood book of the same name, The Handmaid’s Tale is a dystopian drama set in the totalitarian, theocratic society of Gilead, where fertile women – called ‘Handmaids’ – are enslaved to bear children for for wealthy men and their barren wives.

The series stars Elisabeth Moss as Offred/June.

Rounding out the cast are Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski, Alexis Bledel, Madeline Brewer, Ann Dowd, O-T Fagbenle, Max Minghella, Samira Wiley, Amanda Brugel, Bradley Whitford, and Sam Jaeger.

The series – which ran for six seasons and has, so far, won 15 Emmy Awards – is an incredibly faithful adaptation of Margaret’s 1985 book.

However, as with any adaptation, there are a few differences.

For instance, Offred/June is more of a central figure in the resistance against Gilead, whereas in the book, her rebellion is more subdued.

You can watch Seasons 1 to 5 of The Handmaid’s Tale on Stan. However, the sixth and final season is only available on SBS OnDemand.

tv shows based on books - bridgerton

Bridgerton

Each of the eight books follows one of the eight Bridgerton siblings and how they met the love of their life – all the while a mysterious gossip columnist named Lady Whistledown spills

The TV adaptation has followed this anthology style; Season 1 of the period drama focused on Daphne Bridgerton, Season 2 on Anthony Bridgerton, and Season 3 on Colin Bridgerton.

tv shows based on books - sex and the city

Sex and the City

Beloved franchise Sex and the City now boasts six seasons, two movies, two (soon to be three) seasons of its spin off And Just Like That, and seven Emmy Awards.

However, it all started as a newspaper column that was ultimately turned into a book…

From 1994 to 1996, Candice Bushnell wrote a column titled Sex and the City for The New York Observer.

It was based on her and her friend’s experiences as single women in their thirties living in The Big Apple.

And while Candice initially wrote it from a first-person perspective, she quickly invented the semi-autobiographical character Carrie so her parents would be able to read it without getting a play-by-play of her sex life.

In 1996, the Sex and the City book – which was an anthology of Candice’s columns – was published.

A year prior to the book’s release though, Candice profiled Darren Star for Vogue.

The two quickly became friends, and when it came time for Sex and the City – both the column and book – to be optioned, Darren snapped it up.

In June 1997, he wrote the pilot episode with Sarah Jessica Parker in mind for Carrie, soon after convinced SJP to play the character, and the rest (as they say) is history…

tv shows based on books - big little lies

Big Little Lies

Based on the Liane Moriarty book of the same name, Big Little Lies stars Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz and Laura Dern.

The series is a murder mystery that follows a group of women brought together when their respective children begin attending the same school…

There aren’t too many differences between the show and the book; although the show is set in California while the book is set here in Australia (Liane is Australian).

game of thrones

Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones was a cultural phenomenon when it was airing.

The show ran for eight seasons from 2011 to 2019, and won a staggering 59 Emmy Awards.

Of course, Game of Thrones is based on the George RR Martin fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire.

Sadly, George has not finished the series. He has released books one to five, respectively titled A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, and A Dance with Dragons.

But books six and seven – The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring – are yet to be released; many fans believe George will never release them, especially as it’s been more than ten years since the last one hit bookshelves.

In terms of the TV adaptation, we have to say that Seasons 1 to 5 of Game of Thrones are excellent; 10 out of 10 television.

However, after Season 5, the show had to seriously diverge from the books as the storyline had outpaced the books.

And sadly, as a result of no longer being based on George’s books, the quality does start to diminish.

Season 8 is particularly woeful in comparison to earlier seasons.

With all of that being said though, the series overall is still definitely worth watching; that’s how good Seasons 1 to 5 are!

you

You

You is based on the novel of the same name by Caroline Kepnes.

The psychological thriller centres on Joe Goldberg, a charming but dangerously obsessive man who will do anything for love; even murder.

After premiering in 2018, the series – stars Penn Badgley as Joe – quickly became renowned for its dark plot twists and abhorrent narration.

While the show and book share many plot points, the show has expanded significantly on Joe’s story, and has introduced new characters, locations, and victims.

To be perfectly honest, this is one of those rare cases where the adaptation is slightly better than the book…But read the book, watch the show, and then make your own mind up!

The fifth and final season of You premieres on Netflix on April 24, 2025.

defending jacob

Defending Jacob

Based on the 2012 legal thriller by William Landay, Defending Jacob is a gripping limited series.

Starring Chris Evans, Michelle Dockery, and Jaeden Martell, the series follows Assistant District Attorney Andy Barber, whose life unravels when his 14-year-old son is accused of murdering a classmate.

The show stays largely faithful to the book’s slow-burn suspense and emotional intensity, though there are a few key changes – particularly the ending, which differs in tone and conclusion.

We highly recommend checking out both!

The post A definitive list of the best TV shows that were based on books appeared first on The Australian Women's Weekly.